CIGAR SWAMIJI

 CIGAR SWAMIJI

In a remote town in South India, a famous temple is situated on the banks of a  river connecting Tamil nadu and Kerala. On a daily basis the temple does not draw pilgrims, though on auspicious days thousands flock the temple for Dharshan and the devotees may line-up for 5 days at a stretch to make offerings, complete their earlier commitments to Lord Shiva, on the time-tested efficacy of prayers here.

One day the 4 pillared mantap near the precincts of the temple had a new arrival clad in red dhothi and his person smeared with holy ash all over. He spread a worn- out carpet , and sat facing away from the temple and was keen and alert. He had placed his begging bowl - a mangled aluminium container, hardly with a rupee or two in it. Though he kept a begging bowl nearby, he never sought alms for livelihood from any visitor to the area. In just after 3 days of this man’s arrival , a group of 5 youth came to the mantap and tried to dislodge him. The man refused to budge saying that I am here at HIS will.Why should I move out? One of the youth said “this is our meeting place”. The man replied I am here on HIS dictates; you too can be here and carryout your mission of any chat or discussion or debate. If you feel, my presence is a disturbance to your talk, I can move away leaving my carpet and bowl here but, mind you I will never vacate from here until I am ordered to by HIM; for I am a swamiji called cigar swamy . “Right now I know you are here on a mission, if you want TO SUCCEED , please give me 3 minutes for a prayer to figure out how you should sit if you need blessings of YOUR LORD, NOT OF MINE; BUT GIVE ME A PACK OF CIGAR”

Having come with no idea of  such a ‘development’ in this secluded mantap, they whispered “the fellow is stubborn; after all we are 5 here , he is just a lone guy, if it comes to that we can manhandle him; but now one of us would go to bazaar and get him a pack of cigar”. The swami said ‘I need just 3 minutes to pray to HIM for your mission; it can happen only after the cigar[s] arrive.’One of them went to bazaar and fetched a cigar pack and tried to hand it over. But , Swamiji said ‘please wait and place the cigars in this plastic container and close the container. Since you are on a collective mission, all of you simultaneously hold the container firm in your fingers for 3 minutes for my prayer to complete. They did so standing in front of the swamiji. Swamiji prayed for about 3 minutes with his arms thrown open and 

Said, “yes men HE has given HIS nod; BUT STAY IN THIS ENCLOSURE”. He plucked Neem leaves from a near by tree and using the leaves drew 5 distinct squares in a way that they can face one another. “If  you want me to go away, I shall;but let the carpet and bowl be here. After you call me I shall return; till then I shall be under the Banyan tree” . So saying the Swamiji moved off to the tree’s shelter. After some 35-40 minutes of discussion they waved to call the swami back; Swamiji returned and said ‘May God be with you’.  They left the place using scooters.

After some 4 days again the team arrived and asked “again we have to get you cigars to sit here?” Swamiji replied ‘No, that is just for my praying to HIM for your safety. If some newcomer joins you, he should get the nod by the same exercise of offering a cigar and finding a place for him as HE suggests”.

After 3 such visits, on occasion 4 , 2 new comers too arrived and Swamiji  had the cigar exercise carried out by them too. Also, they got places allocated suitable for interacion and Swamiji kept off. Slowly, they accepted Swamiji as a peace-loving GURU and  felt it safe in his company.

After a month or so, they said “Swamiji by next Friday we have an important meeting in Delhi” and sought his blessings. Swamiji profusely blessed them and said by next Saturday I would attain JAL SAMADHI in river Ganga and do not look for me nor weep for me, my mission is over by next week and took leave of them with folded hands.

By Wednesday next some 18 persons from this small town of South were arrested for Anti-National disruptive activities and their precise identity including Finger prints were correctly matched , thanks to the Cigar pack offered already. All conversations of theirs elegantly recorded thorough the high tech begging bowl sealed their fate firm and for ever.

The disappeared ‘ash coated’ Swamiji is a high profile officer in the Anti-Terror Intelligence Wing of India. No wonder he calmed them down saying of ‘JAL SAMADHI’.  

Prof. K. Raman